Self-priming boat bailer



Aug. 12, 1969' E.J. CHALMERS SELF-PRIMING BOAT BAILER Filed March 14,1968 NVENTOR. ldwanl J Ora [mars United States Patent 3,460,503SELF-PRIMING BOAT BAILER Edward J. Chalmers, 243 Glenville Road,Glenville, Conn. 06830 Filed Mar. 14, 1968, Ser. No. 713,211 Int. Cl.B63b 13/00 US. Cl. 114185 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Thisinvention provides a portable, adjustable selfpriming boat bailer whichis adapted to remove bilge water from a boat in response to movement ofthe boat through the water. The bailer provided acts by means of aselfpriming action to connect and merge the waters together, that is,the water inside the boat is connected and merged to the water flowingoutside of the boat. The self-priming action is essentially created bymeans of a priming tube mounted within a discharge tube of the bailerwhich is mounted adjustably to the side of a boat.'Mounted at one end ofthe discharge tube is a flexible tubing which is long enough to beextended into the bilge water in the boat. At the opposite end of thedischarge tube, a T-tube is mounted with its vertical leg interconnectedto the lower end of the discharge tube which is to be submerged into thewater. The T-tube is mounted so that the open ends of both the primingand discharge tubes are positioned in the passageway of the horizontalleg of the T-tube. Whereby, during movement of the boat, the waterpassing through the passageway and past the open ends of the dischargeand priming tubes, together with the priming tube creates a suctionsufiicient in the discharge tube and flexible tubing to remove the bilgewater from the boat.

Background of the invention There have been various types of boatbailers made and used in the past. Some have been made which aredependent upon the motor and propeller of a boat; their opera-- tion isdependent on the type and location of the motor for the boat. Others canfunction only if placed at a certain position on the boat, or placed ata certain angle on or with respect to the angle of the transom of theboat. Obviously, these types of bailers are limited in that they can beused for only a certain type and size of boat and cannot be adjusted tooperate on a variety of boats as is necessary for practical use.

Still other boat bailers have been made to be permanently secured to theboat at a position adjacent to the transom. These bailers must bemounted on the transom at essentially two points on the interior andexterior of the boat, in order to remain permanently on the boat. Also,with this type ot bailer, it is secured at one position both during useand nonuse. Thus, the bailer is subject to being struck by obstacles inthe water, including weeds, rocks and other forms of nature, and alsocauses water drag, thus reducing speed, as well as the wear and erosionfrom the weather and water during nonuse. Also, a permanently mountedbailer is subjected to damages by storm while at dock, and also tovandalism or theft. Thus, the life of the bailing unit will be short andwill have to be replaced in a short time, or after only one or twoseasons.

None of the boat bailing devices heretofore, as the present boat bailer,have been adapted for rapid and efficient snap on-otl attachment to, anddetachment from a boat, and at the same time to be adapted to besecurely mounted when being used, without encountering theaforementioned disadvantages.

3,460,503 Patented Aug. 12, 1969 Summary of the invention This inventionrelates to a portable, adjustable selfprimbing boat bailer. Moreparticularly, it relates to a boat bailer which is adapted to remove anddischarge bilge water from a boat in response to the movement of a boatat low speeds through the water. The bailer includes a discharge tubewith means for adjustably mounting the discharge tube to the side of theboat at a predetermined height and angle relative to the bottom of theboat. At one end of the discharge tube there is mounted a flexibletubing which is long enough to be extended into the bilge water withinthe boat. At the opposite end within the discharge tube and slightlyrecessed therefrom is mounted a priming action tube. The axis of thepriming tube being parallel to that of the discharge tube. A T-tube ismounted with its vertical leg interconnected to the lower end of thedischarge tube. The T-tube is arranged so that the lower ends of boththe priming and discharge tubes are positioned in the passageway of thehorizontal leg of the T-tube so that during movement of the boat thewater passing through the passageway and past the open ends of thedischarge and priming tubes together with the Among the many advantagesof the present boat bailer is that while attached to the boat thedischarge tube may be raised out of the water when not being used forbailing the bilge water from a boat. Thus. obviating destruction fromobstacles in the water, eliminating water drag, and providing less wearand erosion on the bailer and maintaining a longer life for the unit.

Another important advantage of the present boat bailer is that it isportable and can be rapidly attached and detached from a boat, making ita portable slide in and snap-on unit, thereby eliminating any damageoccurring from docking or leaving the dock in low waters, storm damages,weather and water erosion, vandalism or theft. Also, the present boatbailer can be produced simply, economically, and is highly effective atboat speeds as low as four to five miles per hour.

Brief description of the drawings With reference to the accompanyingdrawings, I shall describe the preferred embodiments of my invention. Inthe drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a boat bailer embodying this inventionmounted on the transom of a boat;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detailed side elevational view of the boat bailershown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the boat bailer shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the boat bailer shown in FIG. 2 taken on line4-4;

FIG. 5 is a partial. sectional view of the boat bailer shown in FIG. 3taken on line 55; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the T- tube mounted atthe lower end of the discharge tube of the boat bailer shown in FIG. 3taken on line 66, and the priming tube is shown mounted within thedischarge tube.

Detailed description of invention Referring to FIG. 1, a boat bailergenerally indicated by 10, is mounted on the transom 12 of a boat 14. Asshown in FIG. 2 (dotted lines), the bailer 10 is adjustably mounted andcan be positioned at dilferent angles with respect to the transom 12 andat difiierent heights with respect to the bottom 15 of the boat 14, aswell as the water level.

The bailer 10 comprises a discharge tube 16 slidably mounted in a hollowmember 18 with an. adjustable stop 3 collar 20 to secure the dischargetube 16 at a desired level (FIG. 2). As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, thehollow member 18 is pivotally mounted in a bracket 22 by a bolt 24 atthe top and is secured at a desired angular position by a wing lock nutarrangement 26 in a slot 28 of the bracket 22, which has two sides (FIG.4).

On the bottom of the two-sided bracket 22, there is provided a mountingflange 29 (FIG. 4) which is of the size and shape to slide into and bemounted in a fiat clip 30 (FIG. 3) secured by threaded screws 31 to thetransom 12 (FIGS. 4, The bracket 22 together with the discharge tube 16and the hollow member 18 arranged therein, is securely positioned in theslotted mounting clip 30 by a spring snaplock 32 (FIGS. 2, 5).

As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the hollow member 18, in which thedischarge tube 16 is mounted, has end plates 19 mounted on each end byscrews 21 (FIG. 5). The end plates 19 have openings 23 (FIG. 4) throughwhich the discharge tube 16 is slid when mounted in member 18 (FIG. 4).The tube 16 is secured in position at a certain level by the adjustmentof the stop collar 20 (FIG. 2). Also, in the preferred construction, thedischarge tube 16 is pressed and further secured when raised up inposition in member 18 by a spring 25 mounted on plate 19 by apin 27(FIG. 5).

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, there is shown a flexible intake tubing 34,which is extended from the top of the discharge tube 16 by means of anelbow 36 into the bilge water 37 in the boat 14. The flexible tubing 34serves as the intake for the bailer 10. The flexible tubing 34 ispreferably made of clear plastic for visibility to easily determine whenthe bilge water is being removed from the boat. The intake tubing 34 issecured in position along the inside of the boat 14 by a loose clamp 38.The level of position may be adjusted as needed.

Mounted on the opposite end of the discharge tube 16 is a T-tube 40(FIGS. 2 and 6) which is to be placed in the water during movement ofthe boat 14. The T-tube with its vertical leg is interconnected to thelower end 46 of the discharge tube 16. As best shown in FIG. 6, the T-tub-e 40 has an intake end 42 and a discharge end 43 having a tube 44extended therefrom. The discharge end 43 with the tube 44, is positionedin the water in a direction opposite to that of the movement of theboat. With the diameters of both ends 42, 43 being the same, thepassageway through the horizontal leg of the T-tube 40 and the extendedtube 44 has essentially one continuous diameter.

As shown in FIG. 6, a priming action tube 50 is mounted within thedischarge tube 16. The priming tube 50 is mounted so that its axis isparallel to that of the discharge tube 16. The T-tube 40 is mounted onthe discharge tube 16 so that its lower end 46 and the lower end of thepriming tube 50 are positioned in the passageway of the horizontal legof the T-tube 40. That is, in the passageway through which water willpass during movement of the boat. Preferably, the lower end 46 of tube16 is positioned down in the passageway a distance within the range ofone-third to one-half the diameter of the horizontal leg of the T-tube40.

As can be seen the priming action tube 50 is mounted on one side of thedischarge tube 16 and is slightly recessed from the lower end 46. Thepriming tube 50 may be recessed between about 0.075 to 0.125 inch fromthe lower end 46 of the discharge tube 16. In mounting the priming tube50, it is advantageous to mount it on the side of the discharge tube 16toward the direction of the movement of the boat. Also, it is preferredthat the priming tube 50 have a diameter of at least about two-thirdsthat of the discharge tube 16. For example, with the diameter of thedischarge tube being 4 of an inch, the priming tube should have adiameter of /2 inch. The length of the priming tube 50 should beapproximately from 8 to 12 inches long.

The function of the priming tube 50 mounted in the discharge tube 16(FIG. 6) is to create a self-priming action in the bailer in response tothe water flowing through the horizontal leg of the T-tube 40 duringmovement of the boat through the water. The priming tube mounted in itsrecessed position in the discharge tube 16 together with the waterflowing past the lower open ends of the discharge and priming tubescauses a circulating turbulence inside of the discharge tube whichcauses a mixture of both air and water to rise up the discharge tube anddown the priming tube. The circulating air and water mixture exitsthrough the priming tube and is removing by the water flowing past thelower end 46 of the discharge tube 16 out the extended tube 44 and intothe water outside the boat. When the air is completely evacuated fromthe discharge tube and bailer, the circulating action and turbulencecease. During this turbulence, the combination of the circulating actioninduced by the priming tube, and the water continuously flowing past thelower open ends of the discharge and priming tubes, creates a suctionsuflicient in the discharge tubing 16 and flexible intake tubing 34 toremove the bilge water from the boat. Once the air is completelyremoved, the bilge water is discharged from the boat up the flexibletubing 34 and down through the discharge and priming tubessimultaneously and out the discharge end 43 of the T-tube 40 and theexhaust tube 44 into the surrounding water. Thus, the priming actioncreated by the priming tube 50 and the water flowing past the lower end46 of the discharge tube causes the waters to connect and mergetogether. That is, the bilge water in the boat is connected and mergedwith the water flowing outside of the boat.

In a modification of my boat bailer, instead of a T-tube being mountedon the lower end 46 of the discharge tube 16, a long tube of onecontinuous diameter, having an opening on one side thereof ishorizontally mounted at the lower end 46 of the discharge tube 16. Theopening in the tube is positioned closer to one end and thereby it issimilar to the T-tube arrangement (FIG. 6). That is, the discharge tube16 is positioned closer to the intake end with the exhaust end extendedoutward. Also, the arrangement of the lower ends of the priming tube 50and the discharge tube 16 is similar in that the lower ends arepositioned in the passageway of the water, which is the horizontallymounted tube. Thus, the function performed can be performed by a tubetransversely mounted at the lower end 46 of the discharge tube 16.

Operation of boat bailer The boat bailer 10 is mounted on the transom 12of the boat 14 and the discharge tube 16 is adjusted at the proper levelwith respect to the bottom 15 of the boat 14 and the water level by thestop collar 20 and at the desired angle in bracket 22 by the wing locknut arrangement 26. The T-tube 40 of the bailer 10 is preferablysubmerged in the water with its horizontal leg at a depth of at leastabout six inches below the surface, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Theflexible intake tubing 34 is submerged in the bilge water 37 within thebottom of the boat 14. The end of the tubing 34 is at a level above thatat which the horizontal leg of the T- tube 40 is submerged in the Wateroutside the boat. The flexible tubing 34 is secured to the interior ofthe boat at the desired level by clamping 38.

As the 'boat moves through the water, the water flows through thehorizontal leg of the T-tube 40. More specifically, the water flows inthrough the input end 42, past the lower open ends of both the priming50 and discharge tubes 16 positioned in the passageway of the horizontalleg, and passes out the end of tube 44 extended from the discharge end43 of the T-tube 40. The water flowing past the open ends of the primingand discharge tubes, together with the priming tube creates acirculating turbulance within the discharge tube which causes a mixtureof air and water to rise up the discharge tube and down the priming tubeand out the end of tube 44. During this turbulence, the combination ofthe circulating air and water, together with the water constant- 1yflowing past the lower open ends of the priming and discharge tubescreates a suction suflicient in the discharge tube and flexible tubingto remove the bilge water from the boat.

With the present boat bailer, the bilge water can be removed from theboat at a rate of at least four gallons per minute at a boat speed aslow as four to five miles per hour. After the bilge water has beenremoved from the boat, the bailer can be easily and quickly removed fromthe boat by removing the bracket 22 from the mounting clip 30 secured tothe boat, and by sliding the tubing 34 from clamp 38 after it has beenloosened. Also, if desired, the T-tube 40 and discharge tube 16 can beraised out of the water by simply lifting and sliding the discharge tube16 upward through the hollow member 18, and maintained there by thetension spring 25. Thereby, remaining out of the water until there is aneed for reuse and removal of the bilge water from the boat. Thisfeature of the bailer removes it from the hazard of striking foreignobjects in the water such as weeds, pieces of wood, other debris androcks, as well as eliminating the water drag on the boat and bailer.Thus, there is less wear on the device and a longer life provided forthe unit.

From the foregoing, it can be understood that the boat bailer, asdescribed above and illustrated in the drawings is sufficient to carryout the invention as set forth. However, it is to be noted that thevarious elements and features may be varied or may be used separately inany other device or apparatus without departing from the scope or spiritof the invention described hereinabove and defined in the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable self-priming boat bailer adapted to discharge bilge waterfrom a boat in response to movement of the boat through the water, saidboat bailer comprismg:

(a) a discharge tube, means for adjustably mounting said tube to theside of said boat at a predetermined height and angle relative to thebottom and side of said boat;

(b) a priming action tube mounted within said discharge tube andslightly recessed from the lower end thereof, the axis of said primingtube being parallel to that of said discharge tube;

(c) a flexible intake tubing mounted at the opposite end of saiddischarge tube and long enough to be extended into the bilge waterwithin said boat; and

(d) a T-t'ube mounted with its vertical leg interconnected to the lowerend of said discharge tube to have the lower open ends of said primingand discharge tubes positioned in the passageway of the horizontal legof said T-tube so that during movement of the boat the water passingthrough said passageway and past the open ends of said discharge andpriming tubes, together with the priming action tube creates a suctionsuflicient in said discharge tube and said flexible tubing to remove thebilge water from said boat.

2. A self-priming boat bailer .as set forth in claim 1, wherein saidpriming tube has a diameter of at least twothirds that of said dischargetube and a length of about 8 to 12 inches.

3. A self-priming boat bailer as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidpriming tube is recessed between about 0.075 to 0.125 inch from thelower end of said discharge tube.

4. A self-priming boat bailer as set forth in claim 1, wherein saidpriming tube is mounted on the side of said discharge tube toward thedirection of the movement of said boat.

5. A self-priming boat bailer as set forth in claim 1, wherein saidlower end of said discharge tube is positioned down in the passageway adistance within the range of one-third to one-half the diameter of thehorizontal leg of said T-tube.

6. A portable self-priming boat bailer adapted to discharge bilge waterfrom a boat in response to movement of the boat through the water, saidboat bailer comprising:

(a) a discharge tube, means for adjustably mounting said tube to theside of said boat at a predetermined height and angle relative to thebottom and side of said boat;

(b) a priming action tube mounted within said discharge tube andslightly recessed from the lower end thereof, the axis of said primingtube being parallel to that of said discharge tube;

(c) a flexible intake tubing mounted at the opposite end of saiddischarge tube and long enough to be extended into the bilge waterwithin said boat; and

(d) a tube horizontally mounted at the lower end of said discharge tube,the axis of said tube being transverse to that of said discharge tube,the tube is mounted to have the lower open ends of said priming anddischarge tubes positioned in the passageway of said tube so that duringmovement of the boat, the water passing through said passageway and pastthe open ends of said discharge and priming tubes, together with thepriming action tube creates a suction suflicient in said discharge tubeand said flexible tubing to remove the bilge water from said boat.

7. A self-priming boat bailer as set forth in claim 6, wherein saidlower end of said discharge tube is positioned down in the passageway ofsaid horizontal tube a distance within the range of one-third toone-half the diameter of said horizontal tube.

8. A self-priming boat bailer as set forth in claim 6, wherein saidpriming tube is mounted on the side of said discharge tube toward thedirection of the movement of said boat.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,565,885 8/1951 Reitz 1141853,078,612 2/1963 Wait 114185 ANDREW H. FARRELL, Primary Examiner

